Chit fund scam: Accused caught using phone in jail

Jupinderjit Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 9

An undertrial in the mutli-crore crown chit fund scam, who is lodged in the Ropar jail, is learnt to have using a mobile phone from his cell to sell his property and recover money.

This belies the claim of the jail authorities that the mobile phone use is under check.

The undertrial, Harjit Singh, is one of the 20 persons lodged in different jails on the allegation of duping thousands of investors of crores of rupees through various chit fund companies. More than 400 FIRs have been registered against the accused.

The Crown Chit Fund Sangharsh Committee has got the audio-recording of the telephonic conversation, which it has submitted to the ADGP (Prisons) Sahota, besides lodging a police complaint.

“The use of mobile phone by prisoners is illegal. Harjit Singh is selling his property which he had developed using our money. The property cannot be sold as the government is in the process of attaching it. In the past chit-fund frauds, various courts have ordered that the property be sold off to compensate investors,” said Maninderjit Singh and Jai Kumar, president and general secretary of the committee.

ADGP Sahota said the complaint was being inquired into, “However, there is a possibility that the accused may have used the mobile phone on the way to the court or from the courts complex where he is not in the custody of the jail staff.” The committee had earlier raised the issue of facilities being given to the accused in the Ropar jail. They said they had received threats from such accused.

In the audio-recording, a person identifying himself as Harjit Singh seeks repayment of a loan from a person. The other person, Balbir Singh, is heard asking Harjit when is he going to come out of the jail. To which, Harjit replies it will take time. He asks Balbir to repay the amount soon as he needs money.

In another phone call, he is asking a property dealer to sell off a plot in some rural area at the earliest. He is also heard offering commission to the dealer.

Over 400 FIRs against 20 fraudsters

• The undertrial, Harjit Singh, is one of the 20 persons lodged in different jails on the allegation of duping thousands of investors of crores of rupees through various chit fund companies. 
• More than 400 FIRs have been registered against 20 accused.
• The Crown Chit Fund Sangharsh Committee has got the audio-recording of the telephonic conversation, which it has submitted to the ADGP (Prisons) Sahota.

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